Crazy Cavan 'n' the Rhythm Rockers (also known as Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers, Cavan & The Rhythm Rockers, Crazy Cavan & The Rhythm Rockers) were a Welsh
rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western musi ...
band associated with the
Teddy Boy
The Teddy Boys or Teds were a mainly United Kingdom, British youth subculture originating in the early 1950s to mid-1960s and then revived in the 1970s who were interested in rock and roll and Rhythm and blues, R&B music, wearing clothes part ...
scene. The band formed in 1970, and were still actively touring and recording before frontman Cavan Grogan's death in 2020.
The band appeared in the 1980 film
''Blue Suede Shoes'', which detailed the revival of 1950s
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
music scene at the time.
History
The first incarnation of the band was formed in
Newport,
South Wales
South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...
, in 1964 by Cavan Grogan (vocals),
Lyndon Needs (lead guitar) and Terry Walley (rhythm guitar) under the name "Screamin' Count Dracula and the Vampires".
[
In 1968, joined by Brian Thomas (piano) and Don Kinsella (bass), they took the name "The Sundogs" which they borrowed from ]Alan Freed
Albert James "Alan" Freed (December 15, 1921 – January 20, 1965) was an American disc jockey. He also produced and promoted large traveling concerts with various acts, helping to spread the importance of rock and roll music throughout Nor ...
who was known as "Moondog" and combined it with their taste for Sun Records
Sun Records is an American independent record label founded by producer Sam Phillips in Memphis, Tennessee on February 1, 1952. Sun was the first label to record Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Jo ...
, a record label whose releases which they used to buy at that time. Then in 1970, with the addition of Mike Coffey (drums), they took the name "Crazy Cavan 'n' the Rhythm Rockers", a name which has endured.[ "History"]
''Crazycavan.com''; retrieved 16 February 2020.
In 1973, the band formed its own record label
"Big Three" music labels
A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...
, Crazy Rhythm Records (named after their own description of their music) and released their debut single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
, "Teddy Boy Boogie" (backed with "Bop Little Baby"). In 1975, they released their first album ''Crazy Rhythm'' on the Dutch Rockhouse label. In 1976, they signed with Charly Records
Charly Records is a British record label that specialises in reissued material.
Among the labels whose original releases are reissued by Charly are Vee-Jay, Sun, Immediate, BYG, Tomato, and Fania.
History
Charly Records was founded in Fran ...
in the UK, and released their second album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
, ''Rockability''.
''Crazycavan.com''. Retrieved 16 February 2020 He left three children and three grandchildren.
Discography
LPs
CDs
Contemporary influences
*
Zombie Ghost Train included a
cover of "Teddy Boy Boogie", on their ''
Dealing The Death Card
Zombie Ghost Train (sometimes seen as ZGT) were an Australia, Australian rock music, rock band located in Sydney, NSW, Australia. The band formed with Stu Arkoff (guitars and vocals), Azzy T (drums), and Captain Reckless (bass and backing vocal ...
'' album.
*Singer Sparky Phillips from
Demented Are Go
Demented Are Go (DAG aka Demented Are Go!) are a Welsh psychobilly band that was formed around 1982 near Cardiff, Wales. They were one of the earliest in the initial wave of bands to mix punk rock with rockabilly, and as a result, are conside ...
recorded with
Hillbilly Moon Explosion
Hillbilly Moon Explosion is a Swiss rockabilly band founded in 1998. The group is known for a versatile mix of rock and roll, jump blues, Swing music, swing, Country music, country, roots rock and surf music elements.
History
Hillbilly Moon Ex ...
a version of "Teddy Boy Flick Knife Rock'n'Roll", on the album ''The Sparky Sessions''. He has previously stated that he was influenced by Crazy Cavan in his early days.
*
Klingonz covered "Trouble Trouble" on their ''Still Stompin'' album.
Further reading
*
References
External links
Crazycavan.comCrazy Cavan Fan Club
*
*
{{Authority control
Welsh rockabilly music groups
Welsh rock music groups
Musical groups established in 1970
Musical groups disestablished in 2020
Welsh rock and roll music groups